Classy
by MissCrookedSmile
Summary: Superman is distracted at a JLA meeting. Wonder Woman and Batman ends up helping him with his unusual problem, when they learn Clark Kent how to sway a woman on the dancefloor.


"You look troubled" Diana noticed after the meeting was adjourned. The rest of the leaguers had stormed out, eager to get back to work, but Wonder Woman and Batman had stayed back.

"I'm just fine" he said as reassuringly as he could, placing his hand on top of hers.

"Your head is out of the game" Batman noted in his usual cold manner.

"What do you mean?" Superman tried, not even acting but with real surprise. He knew his mind had been preoccupied, but he didn't think he let it affect his work in any way.

"You picked me as the team leader for the suno-mission" Batman pointed out with what seemed to be a raised eyebrow.

"It's a priority strong hold and you are our best strategist. What on earth is wrong with that?"

"You want our only non-metha superior to lead an airborne attack at an exploding sun?" Wonder Woman asked with a smile. "No offense, but that is like sending Flash down to the med bay because he can go through samples faster."

"Batman can do that job just as well as any other head leaguer" Superman stated again, hoping it would trigger Batman's pride and get him on his side. No such luck.

"Really?" The dark knight began. "Then why not send J'onn with me, the only other agent who would die just as quickly as I. We could make it a race: Who would perish first? Me from the heat or him from the open flames?"

"We ended up sending Lantern, so what is the problem here? I made a bad call, but that is why we have a board of main leaguers instead of just a single leader."

"Kal…" Wonder Woman said, her comforting hand placed back on his shoulder. "You called me Lois. Twice."

They all paused for a minute and as usual during these debates, Batman lost his patience first:

"Either you don't show up to these meetings and pass on the torch to Diana-"

"-or you tell us what is troubling you so we can help you with whatever is bothering you" she finished in a kinder tone.

Interesting how Batman could make everything sound like a threat, while Wonder Woman understood how to put comfort, joy and hope into her every word.

"I promise you, this is just temporarily and it really isn't a big deal. I mean – you would laugh if you knew…"

"Try us" Diana said in the same tone and with the same reassuring smile. Batman went over to lock the entrance, in case this was going to involve personal and therefore classified information.

It only took a second for Superman to resume the more awkward and apologetic stance of his alter ego. He scratched his neck, bended forward a little and Batman could swear had the Boy Scout been wearing glasses he would have corrected them gawkily with his index finger as well.

"It's kind of more a Clark Kent problem than a Superman problem" he started out, a nervous grin spreading across the face. He saw Diana relaxing, keeping the ensuring smile upon her lips. She knew now that her friend was okay. He merely had a small problem in his personal life – nothing life threatening. Bruce on the other hand tipped his head a little to the left and raised an eyebrow, annoyed that Clark would let a personal problem affect his work – affect _their_ work.

"You see, the only thing Lois wanted for her birthday was a night of ballroom dancing…"

"Is this a question of money?" Bruce gnarled. Clark knew he could always get a grant or a raise from Bruce Wayne if that was ever the issue. He had denied it so far, wanting to make his own way, but if something as pathetic as a couple of ballroom tickets bothered him…

"Very typical for the world's tenth richest American to ask such a question" Diana teased. New York Times had just published a top 50 over the wealthiest men and women in the world, featuring a huge spread on Bruce Wayne - Gotham's playboy billionaire. He had managed to quadruple his fortune since he took over his father's company in his mid-twenties, even though he was battling Bill Gates for the title of the American who donated the largest amounts to charity each year. The article had of course been very popular with the leaguers who knew Batman's secret identity and that he alone had paid for 70-80 % of the Watch Tower.

"I'm actually down to eleventh" he quickly added. "Some guy living in Dubai knocked me off the top ten."

"It is not about money" Superman interrupted. "I've got the tickets for Saturday night… I just… I haven't had time to learn the steps just yet."

"But Saturday is the day after tomorrow" Wonder Woman gasped.

"Seriously?" Batman asked in Bruce's voice. "This is why you almost send me into a dying sun?"

"I did not" Superman snapped back, embarrassed to have admitted what bothered him. He knew it was nothing of importance, but somehow it troubled him. He wanted to sway Lois. He wanted to make her dreams come true. This had been all she wished for and he couldn't even give her that despite everything she constantly gave up for him…

"Well, you're in luck" Wonder Woman interrupted before Batman got a chance to argue. "Because Bruce is the most magical dancer I have ever encountered."

"Really?" Superman said in a teasing tone. It was of course no surprise – it was a perfect fit for his public Bruce Wayne-persona. But it somehow seemed hilarious to imagine Batman doing the same moves.

"Yes" Wonder Woman chose to continue, "I believe Alfred told me your mother made you take dance classes from when you were four?"

"And she died when I was five" he snapped back.

"Could you show me a few steps?" Clark tried in order to avoid the sensitive subject of the Wayne's faith.

"I need to get back to work" the bat snarled, heading for the door. He had work to do.

"Oh, come on Bruce" Diana insisted, grabbing hold of his hand when he swayed by her. "What was that wonderful dance you taught me at the Spanish ambassadors' ball?"

"There is work to be done." He insisted, ripping his hand from Diana's. He continued his path towards the exit.

Diana of course didn't give up. She was used to getting her way almost as often as Bruce.

"I'll cover your next monitor duty if you stay for 15 minutes?"

He punched in the code to unlock the door completely unaffected.

"Okay, two shifts if you promise to stay here the next 20 minutes."

He punched the key to open the sliding doors.

"Make it half an hour and I'll add three of your shifts to my schedule" Clark added, looking at the caped crusader in anticipation. The man in the black suit stopped to think.

"If the Kryptonian doubles that, I'll stay for 20."

"I'll take two, he four, but then you have to stay for 30. Last offer" Diana stated, crossing her arms in a firm stance.

Batman stood still for a couple of seconds, thinking about his options. Then he turned around in order to close the door behind him.

"It was not American ballroom, like Kent would need to learn, but Latin. More specifically Paso Double." He said directed at Diana before turning around to face a baffled Superman. "What do you want to know?"

"I guess just enough to give her a good time."

"30 minutes" Batman mumbled. "Guessing that you are going to stay in Metropolis, adding to that what you would be willing to spent on the tickets, and I am guessing you would go for the American Smooth parlors, being the romantic… You have tickets to The Orchid?"

"Yes" Clark mumbled. He knew Batman could do that, but it always felt uncomfortable when it was one's own actions he was calculating and anticipating.

"Then I would say you should concentrate on Foxtrot, Waltz and Tango – skip the Viennese Waltz. That's double pace anyway."

"You afraid I wouldn't be able to catch up" Superman asked sarcastically. Diana was of course the one to mend between the competitive boys.

"Three dances in 30 minutes. You think you will be able to learn what you need?" she asked Superman concerned.

"I am Superman after all" he said with a winning smile that made her shake her head and roll her eyes. He tapped a finger towards his temples: "Photographic memory. He should only have to show me each step once."

"Let's wait and see…"

Batman kept his eyes on the target – he was eager to get his thirty minutes over with.

"We'll start with the Foxtrot. Simple moves, but it is important you perform them in long, continuous flowing movements."

"Kind of like flying across the floor?" Superman kidded, feeling his confidence flowing back the second he knew he would be able to give Lois the night she wished for. Batman of course ignored him.

"If I may borrow you, Diana?"

She accepted the gauntleted hand he presented her with as he led her into the middle of the empty floor between the doors and the conference table.

"As the lead" he explained to Superman who watched eagerly, "it is important that you maintain a firm grip of the woman's hand and back. But you do never force her into position. You might be the lead, but it is in fact her movements that decide when to start, what positions to take and when to make the finish."

Batman made a smooth movement of the arm, urging Diana to softly find her position in front of him. She was a couple of inches taller than him, but that didn't seem to bother him. He still placed his free arm over hers, gently lifting her other arm into the right position.

"Always place your hand flat on her back like a gentleman-" he started, but Diana interrupted.

"As I remember, your hand was quite a bit lower than that at the ambassador's ball."

"A well know Bruce Wayne move" he explained unmoved in his start position.

"Now, the rhythm will always be four by four for this dance. You use it to mix a series of slow and quick steps. Quite simple."

He presented Clark with some of the basic moves: The three steps, the feather finish, closed impetus. He articulated his moves but made no attempt to slow down, knowing Superman weren't kidding about the photographic memory. Diana flew around the floor, following his every move, her hair flowing around her in each quick step.

"I didn't know you knew the foxtrot as well, Diana" Superman said with amazement once Batman loosened his grip of her and stood back.

"I don't" she laughed. "I just let my body follow his movement. It is actually very much like a double sparring" she said with amazement, none of the men surprised that she would compare the experience to that of fighting.

"Your turn" Batman demanded, swinging Wonder Woman into the arms of the unprepared Superman.

"Alright" he started, looking down to place his feet, meticulously placing his hand correctly on her back.

"Even Batman held me tighter than that" she mocked, enjoying as her partner tensed his grip.

As Superman mimicked what he had just seen the best he could, Batman walked around them, scrutinizing their every movement. Clark suddenly felt bad for all the Robins the man had trained through the years.

"Your stiff, but that is to be expected" Batman grunted, not seeming at all surprised that the Kryptonian had already caught on. "You need to improve your lead, however."

Batman placed a hand on Wonder Woman's shoulder, pulling her away in order to take her place. Superman immediately backed off in disbelief.

"Let me show you" Batman insisted, taking his friends hand and quickly after taking the lead. Superman looked baffled at Diana who was trying to suppress a giggle. Batman as always maintained his professionalism and started letting the steps flow through them both.

"Feel how I urge your body into the right positions and pace, making it harder for you to fail then to act your role."

Superman nodded impressed. "I think I can catch your drift. Care to let me lead?"

"Do it" Batman demanded. Superman swiftly forced his arm over Batman's immediately doing a quicker version of the Reverse Turn Batman had shown him seconds before.

"Umm…"

The voice came from the open doors. Kyle stood there with wide eyes, watching his two most powerful male teammates in what seemed a tender dance. Batman must have forgotten to lock the door when he closed it behind him.

"I just came for my notes" he said in a dubious tone, pointing at the conference table behind the world's finest dancers.

Diana didn't manage to suppress a giggle any more.

Superman and Batman pushed away from each other, Batman taking his grim stance wrapped by his cape, Superman straightening his back.

"Lantern…" the all American hero began. "I guess this must look odd, but it is not what you think it is."

"What do you mean?" Batman gnarled back. "It is precisely what it looks like. What exactly do you think he think this is?"

"Look" Kyle mumbled as he stumbled passed them, "I just came back for my notes and here they are! So…" He picked up his note book and looked at them for a second. Then rushed out the door before the heroes had a chance to speak to him again.

Wonder Woman's snicker turned into an explosive laughter.

"Take the other 20 minutes tomorrow at the manor?" the blue character whispered to the black.

"Be there before four. I don't want Alfred _or_ the boys home for this" Batman gnarled back before rushing out the door almost as quickly as Kyle had done before him.


End file.
